(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disc case for receiving a disc on which information data are recorded and for supporting the disc rotatably in the disc case, the disc case being able to be set into a reproducing apparatus with the disc received in the disc case.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
There is known a disc case to preserve such disc as a compact disc of the Compact Disc digital audio system or optical video disc, etc. Such case is to be used after all to preserve a disc and not to be set into a reproducing apparatus together with the disc to be reproduced. Such disc as mentioned above has been handled as naked with a human hand when the apparatus is to be loaded with the disc, there have been disadvantages that a finger print will be deposited on the surface of the disc, an external force will be applied directly to the disc when striked with the apparatus or the like and the disc set in the apparatus will be exposed to a high temperature by the heat generation of the apparatus.
There is also such conventional disc case as a case for floppy discs used in relation to various office automation equipments, etc. The floppy disc is enclosed within the case, and the equipment is to be loaded with the disc together with the case when the disc is to be reproduced. Therefore, the disc can be protected such as by preventing a finger print from being deposited. However, there has been a defect that, as the case is so formed that the disc can not be taken out of the case, the disc can never be replaced. Further, there has been a defect that, as it is a prerequisite to provide all such formation as, for example, a disc case positioning means on the equipment side in forming an automatic loading mechanism, such mechanism on the equipment side will be much complicated.
Further, there is known, among various floppy cases, such a case wherein a magnetic head inserting hole is closed with a shutter plate in the normal state (when the disc case is not set into the equipment) so as to protect the disc by preventing dust from entering the case through this hole. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example (a case for a 3-inch compact floppy disc) of such disc case. In the disc case shown in this drawing, in a space formed within the case 1, a disc 2 is enclosed so as not to be able to be taken out and a shutter plate 5 rotatable about a shaft part 3 arranged in the central part and free to open and close the magnetic head inserting hole 4 is arranged in the case 1, a release 7, which is movable in the directions indicated by the arrows C and D along the guide groove 6 formed through the upper and lower sides of the case 1, is fixed at one end to the shutter plate 5 and at the other end to an operating piece 8, and further in the case 1 provided a spring 9 biasing the shutter plate 5 in the direction indicated by the arrow E via the release 7 so that the shutter plate 5 may close the hole 4. In this case 1, in the normal state, the shutter 5 will close the hole 4 but, when the case is set into the equipment, the operating piece 8 will move to the 2-dotted chain line position, thereby the release 7 will move in the direction indicated by the arrow D and the shutter plate 5 will rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow F to open the hole 4.
Now, in the above mentioned disc case 1, such internal parts as the shutter plate 5, release 7 and spring 9, etc. are all secured in predetermined respective positions by the case 1 itself and therefore, if the disc 2 within is to be replaced, that is, if the case 1 is so constructed as to be able to be opened, these internal parts will all slip down or remove and will become never useful. This shows that the construction of such disc case is never considered so as to open the case, that is to say, to replace the disc. Therefore, there are defects that such disc case can not be adopted as a case required to replace the disc, for example, as a case applicable to a compact disc or the like with which the apparatus has been loaded as naked so far and that the construction of opening and closing the shutter plate 5 in the above mentioned case uses the release 7 or the like and is therefore complicated in the construction and assembly.